Report Finds Bioscience Education Significantly Lagging in U.S. - Ohio One of Only Eight States Considered "Leaders of the Pack"

A new report funded and researched by Battelle, BIO AND THE Biotechnology Institute provides the first ever comprehensive study of middle and high school bioscience education in the 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia and the news is not great. The report indicates a clear need for improved science education that incorporates the biosciences at the middle and high school levels if the United States bioscience industry sector is to remain globally competitive.

There was some encouragement as Ohio, among other states, was singled out as a leader in bioscience education for a number of innovative programs. 

Ohio ranks above the national average for both ACT-tested students ready for college-level biology as well as eighth-grade life science scores. Also, Ohio's state curriculum regularly mentions the importance of biotech and includes biology as a high-school graduation requirement.  The study also praised the biotech portion of Ohio’s College TechPrep program for connecting high school students to community colleges with degrees in biotech fields.

The report says even the best states are struggling.  Only one in four of all ACT-tested students in the nation are deemed ready for college science and it Ohio that number is only one in three.  Also, at least one third of Ohio’s science teachers don’t have a degree in their assigned fields. 

The report offers several recommendations for improving the national biotech educational system including the biotech industry establishing summer jobs for science teachers.  The report says states must make long-term financial commitments to projects that boost bioscience brainpower, establishing class such as “Biotech R&D.” 

Other states joining Ohio as “Leaders of the Pack” include Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Vermont and Wisconsin.  States typically considered leaders in biotechnology such as North Carolina and California were considered “Second Tier” and “Middling Performance” respectively.

For more details, see the release from Battelle.